February 15, 2019
Weekly Wrap
This week, New Democrat Coalition Leadership Members urged support of the conference report and then applauded the House passage of bipartisan, bicameral legislation to keep the federal government open and fund key national priorities. We are grateful to the efforts of New Dem Whip Pete Aguilar and all of the conferees in negotiating and passing this important funding bill.
NDC Chair Derek Kilmer spoke out after the President declared a national emergency in order to secure funding to build a wall at the southern border. Declaring a national emergency is a violation of the spirit of the law. This declaration would rob billions of dollars from drug intervention programs and ongoing military construction projects that are necessary to keep our nation safe and secure. Instead the Administration should work with Congress to deal with our immigration, asylum, and border security challenges in a strategic way.
More on what NDC Members have been up to below.
Coalition Highlights
- After an earlier statement from the entire NDC Leadership Team urging support for the bipartisan, bicameral government funding bill, NDC Chair Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) released a statement after that bill passed the House of Representatives: “This legislation represents a true bipartisan compromise that keeps our government open and upholds our nation’s values. While it is not the agreement Democrats would have written on our own, it represents the best possible deal to responsibly fund our government and secure our border.
- “Rather than funding for an ineffective border wall, this bill prioritizes border security funding for methods and technologies that have been proven effective. Experts have said, and an overwhelming majority of Americans agree, that a medieval style wall is a waste of money and it is not reflective of our values. This bill also rejects irresponsible budget cuts and instead invests billions more dollars in important New Dem priorities like funding for economic development assistance programs, environmental protection, and transportation infrastructure.” Read the full statement. Watch NDC Chair Derek Kilmer and NDC Vice Chair for Communications Annie Kuster speak on the House Floor about the bill.
New Democrat Coalition Chair Statement on President’s National Emergency Declaration
- NDC Chair Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) released the following statement after the President declared a national emergency in order to secure funding to build a wall at the southern border:
- “I strongly oppose President Trump’s plans to declare a national emergency and will work with our leaders in both parties to reign in the President’s abuse of authority. Declaring a national emergency is a violation of the spirit of the law. We have a framework for checks and balances, and as a Member of Congress I cannot stand for a complete bypass around this Constitutional framework.
- “This declaration would rob billions of dollars from drug intervention programs and ongoing military construction projects that are necessary to keep our nation safe and secure. I urge the President to abandon this irresponsible path forward and instead work with Congress to deal with our immigration, asylum, and border security challenges in a strategic way.”
Member Highlights
Sherrill Featured in Politico magazine
- POLITICO Magazine featured NDC Freshman Whip Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and her pragmatic, moderate agenda in Congress. "Bold progressives are getting the attention, but the Democratic Party owes control of the House to moderates like Mikie Sherrill," writes Michael Kruse of POLITICO.
- NDC Vice Chair for Communications Annie Kuster (NH-02) was featured, along with Rep. Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), on SNL last weekend. "We were celebrating gains for Democrats and women in Congress and for America," Kuster said. "I understand it was from the 1990s, but apparently, that was the height of my cool."
House Passes Lee Veteran Child Care Amendment
- The House of Representatives unanimously passed Rep. Susie Lee’s (NV-03) bipartisan Veteran Child Care Amendment to ensure every veteran is able to access child care services regardless of whether they are using them at a VA Medical Center or a Vet Center.
- Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) introduced the bipartisan Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that supports the development and demonstration of vital carbon capture and removal technologies.
Sewell Introduces Bipartisan Caribbean Trade Bill
- Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) until 2030. Since 2000, CBTPA has allowed for the duty- and quota-free import of goods made with U.S. yarns, fabrics and threads from Caribbean countries.
Carbajal, Beyer to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Reduce Gun Violence
- One year after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Reps. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Don Beyer (VA-08) introduced the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act. The bipartisan bill encourages states to allow family members or law enforcement officials to petition a judge to temporarily remove firearms from an individual in crisis.
Connolly Reintroduces Fair RETIRE Act
- Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11) introduced the bipartisan First Responder Fair RETIRE Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure federal firefighters, law enforcement officials, Border Patrol officers, and other federal first responders qualify for full retirement benefits if they are injured on the job.
Larsen Introduces Legislation to Boost Access to STEM Job Opportunities
- Rep. Larsen (WA-02) introduced the Youth Access to American Jobs Act to help high school students access in-demand jobs related to growing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries by creating a pathway through community college and into a registered apprenticeship.
Bustos Introduces the RIIDE Act
- Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) introduced the bipartisan Reining In Irresponsible Decorating Expenses (RIIDE) Act to crack down on lavish spending by Cabinet officials and to increase transparency for taxpayers on renovation and redecorating expenses at federal agencies. Other original cosponsors of the RIIDE Act include Reps. Jim Cooper (TN-05), Max Rose (NY-11), Josh Harder (CA-10), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Cindy Axne (IA-03), Susan Wild (PA-07), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sean Casten (IL-06), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Susie Lee (NV-03), Greg Stanton (AZ-09), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Katie Hill (CA-25), Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01), and Jason Crow (CO-06).
McEachin Introduces African American Burial Grounds Network Act
- Rep. A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) introduced the African American Burial Grounds Network Act to create a national network of African American burial grounds. This legislation will also provide information, technical support, and grants to aid in the identification, preservation, and restoration of historically neglected burial grounds within the network.
Allred Pushes for Paid Leave as He Takes Paternity Leave
- Rep. Colin Allred (TX-32) took leave after the birth of his son Jordan to advocate for paid parental leave policies. “This experience makes it clearer than ever to me that we need to provide basic paid sick leave and paid parental leave so that no matter who you are or where you live. Hardworking people can have financial security and peace of mind while spending time with their families,” said Allred.
Escobar, Torres Small Led Delegation to U.S.-Mexico Border
- Reps. Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02) led a Congressional Delegation to the U.S.-Mexico Border to meet with immigrant advocates and receive a briefing on border security from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Saturday, February 9, 2019. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) and Reps. Deb Haaland (NM-01) and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) joined the Congressional delegation.
- LGBTQ parents Reps. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Angie Craig (MN-02) and fellow Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Co-Chair Katie Hill (CA-25), led a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar opposing his department’s decision to issue a waiver to South Carolina allowing the state to sidestep Obama-era regulations preventing child welfare agencies from discriminating on a religious basis.
Casten Discusses Climate Change with NPR
- Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06) joined the Illinois affiliate of National Public Radio to discuss his first few weeks in Congress and climate change policy. During the interview, he provided the following observation on U.S. policy and climate change, “We have almost no policies that reward people for growing the economy and lowering CO2 emissions, and having spent 20 years running companies with missions to profitably reduce CO2 emissions, I cannot tell you how many times the barrier to us doing more of that was actually a United States law.”
Trone Announces Bipartisan Freshmen Working Group on Addiction
- Rep. David Trone (MD-06) announced the creation of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, a bipartisan effort to promote policies to end the addiction crisis in this country. The group is composed of 36 Members of the newly-elected freshman class with representatives from across the entire nation. The purpose of the group is to come together to understand the extent of the impacts of addiction and to jointly promote policies to reduce overdoses and deaths.
Luria, Gottheimer Lead Letter Urging House Leadership to Condemn Anti-Semitic Rhetoric
- Reps. Elaine Luria (VA-02) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) led a letter from 25 Members of the Democratic Caucus urging House Democratic leadership to address and condemn recent anti-Semitic rhetoric.
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